Compact t-handle bullet starter for muzzleloaders

ABSTRACT

A compact T-handle bullet starter for muzzleloaders is strong, compact and makes loading a bullet into a muzzleloader easy and efficient. The bullet starter includes a handle that is removably attached to a shaft to form a T-shaped design for use. When not in use, the shaft can be removed and stored into the handle, where the threads of the shaft are protected inside the handle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/553,782, filed Oct. 31, 2011, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bullet starters and, more particularly, to a compact T-handle bullet starter for muzzleloaders.

People experience difficulty loading and aligning a bullet into a muzzleloader. Current muzzleloader bullet starters are weak and hard to handle.

Many current bullet starters are made of weak materials that break and tarnish easily. These conventional bullet starters are not compact, making them hard to store and carry.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved bullet starter for muzzleloaders that is strong, does not break or weaken, and can make bullet loading easy and less tedious than conventional bullet starters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a bullet starter for muzzleloaders comprises a handle; internal female threads disposed at one end of a hollow chamber in the handle; a threaded hole in a central side portion of the handle; a shaft; and male threads on a first end of the shaft, wherein the male threads engages with the internal female threads with the bullet starter in a compact configuration and the male threads engage the threaded hole in a use configuration.

In another aspect of the present invention, a bullet starter for muzzleloaders comprises a handle having internal female threads disposed at one end of a hollow chamber in the handle and a threaded hole in a central side portion of the handle; a shaft having male threads on a first end of the shaft and shaft female threads formed in a second end of the shaft; and an adapter having adapter male threads engagable into the shaft female threads of the shaft, wherein the male threads engages with the internal female threads with the bullet starter in a compact configuration; and the male threads engage the threaded hole in a use configuration, where the bullet starter forms a T-shape.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bullet starter for muzzleloaders according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top exploded perspective view of the bullet starter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom exploded perspective view of the bullet starter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bullet starter of FIG. 1, illustrating storage of the shaft in the handle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bullet starter of FIG. 1, in its storage configuration;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a compact T-handle bullet starter for muzzleloaders that is strong, compact and makes loading a bullet into a muzzleloader easy and efficient. The bullet starter includes a handle that is removably attached to a shaft to form a T-shaped design for use. When not in use, the shaft can be removed and stored into the handle, where the threads of the shaft are protected inside the handle.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 7, a handle 10 can include a female threaded hole 20 about midway of the length of the handle 10. A shaft 12 can include shaft male threads 16 that fit and engage into the female threaded hole 20 to form the bullet starter in a T-shape for use.

The shaft 12 can include adapter female threads 26 into which an adapter 14, having adapter male threads 24, can engage. The adapter female threads 26 can be, for example ¼-inch-28 threads and various adapters may be used to work with attachments that use 10-32 threads. Various accessories, such as a ball starter, a cleaning rod, a ramrod or a ramrod extension, may be used with the device of the present invention.

The shaft 12 can be unthreaded from the handle 10 and disposed inside of the handle 10. The handle 10 can include internal female threads 28 for receiving the shaft male thread 16 to secure the shaft 12 inside the handle 10. Typically, the end of the shaft 12 and the attached adapter 14 can extend from the handle 10 in the stored configuration.

The bullet starter of the present invention may be made from aircraft aluminum (such as aluminum 6061) and brass rod, for example. These materials can make the device strong, durable and lightweight. Typically, no plastic parts are used and no plastic molding is required to make the bullet starter of the present invention. Typically, the bullet started is formed entirely of metal.

The bullet starter of the present invention can be made in various sizes, depending on the specific application. As discussed above, various accessories can be used with the bullet starter of the present invention. The bullet starter can be made in various colors and can be made with a lanyard for the user's neck or wrist, for example, or can include a belt loop or may be made flashlight/holster accessible. When in the stored, compact configuration (see FIGS. 5 and 7), the bullet starter fits easily in a user's pocket, for example.

To use the device of the present invention, from its compact state, a user can simply unscrew the shaft male threads 16 from the internal female threads 28 inside of the handle 10, screw the shaft male threads 16 in the side of the handle 10 in the handle female threaded hole 20 to create a T-handle. A bullet (not shown) can be placed in the top of a muzzleloader and the user can grab the handle 10 and place the shaft 12 on top of the bullet. The user can then push the bullet down the barrel to the length of the shaft 12.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bullet starter for muzzleloaders comprising: a handle; internal female threads disposed at one end of a hollow chamber in the handle; a threaded hole in a central side portion of the handle; a shaft; and male threads on a first end of the shaft, wherein the male threads engages with the internal female threads with the bullet starter in a compact configuration and the male threads engage the threaded hole in a use configuration.
 2. The bullet starter of claim 1, further comprising shaft female threads formed in a second end of the shaft.
 3. The bullet starter of claim 2, further comprising an adapter having adapter male threads engagable into the shaft female threads of the shaft.
 4. The bullet starter of claim 1, wherein the bullet started is formed entirely of metal.
 5. The bullet starter of claim 1, wherein the internal female threads, the male threads and the threaded hole are ¼ inch in diameter.
 6. A bullet starter for muzzleloaders comprising: a handle having internal female threads disposed at one end of a hollow chamber in the handle and a threaded hole in a central side portion of the handle; a shaft having male threads on a first end of the shaft and shaft female threads formed in a second end of the shaft; and an adapter having adapter male threads engagable into the shaft female threads of the shaft, wherein the male threads engages with the internal female threads with the bullet starter in a compact configuration; and the male threads engage the threaded hole in a use configuration, where the bullet starter forms a T-shape.
 7. The bullet starter of claim 6, wherein the bullet started is formed entirely of metal.
 8. The bullet starter of claim 6, wherein the internal female threads, the male threads and the threaded hole are ¼ inch in diameter. 